THE HOSPITAL SHIPS

New Zealand Times, Volume XL, Issue 9173, 13 October 1915, Page 2

THE HOSPITAL SHIPS

CONTROL OF THE FUNDS A CLAUSE IN THE APPROPRIATION BILL. MEMBERS RAISE PROTEST. When the Appropriation Bill was Tinder discussion in the House, of Representatives yesterday exception was taken by several members to clause 25, which dealt with the hospital ship fund. The preamble to the clause stated that a fund had been raised by His Excellency the Governor for the equipment, of a hospital ship, the amount subscribed was more than sufficient for the purpose of the ship, and it was desired to authorise, the expenditure of a portion of the money for other purposes. The clause proceeded. “All moneys in the fund that aie not, in the opinion of His Excellency the Governor, required for the purposes for which the fund has been established may be expended for any of the purposes following “(1) For the purchase of comforts to be supplied to wounded soldiers. “(2) For the equipment or maintenance of an auxiliary military hospital at Walton-on-Thames, England.. _ “(3) For the equipment or maintenance of any stationary hospital or base hospital. . ‘ , “(41 For any other purpose that tne Governor considers a fit and proper purpose for the expenditure of the said fund.” The clause was to be deemed to have been in force as from the date of the establishment of the fund./ Dr A. K. Newman (Wellington East! said that when the original appeal had been made lor funds for the equipment of the hospital ship Maheho, the public had subscribed enough money for two .vessels. Some of the surplus money had been-used for quite" other purposes, and now the people were being asked to subscribe again for a second shin. The clause provided that if there was a surplus on the present occasion it could be spent at the discretion of the Governor. It was a most extraordinary clause/ and he did not wonder that the people were showing unwillingness to subscribe on,.the...second occasion. The subscriptions were coming in very slowly. r The Minister for Finance (Bight Hon. Sir Joseph Ward) said that His Excellency the Governor did not hold or control the money either officially or privately. The money had been paid into the public , account and was administered by the Internal " Affairs Department. But as the whole appeal had been made ‘ by the. Governor and as the Governor was responsible in the first instance for the hospital ship being sent, authority to deal with the monev under an - Act of- Parliament was required. ; !, , , Mr McCombs (Lyttelton) .said that the position'was strange; He . understood that a sum, of £SOOO from the fund ‘ had been used at .Trenthara camp. Was this money going to be refunded and the charge placed where it should belong, on the Consolidated Fund? The public had been invited to contribute to the fund for a specific purpose, the money had. been, spent in Other/directions, and now the , people were being askeu_Jo contribute again for the second ship. ■ The Minister, for Finance said that after the dispatch of the Maheno , a sum of £35.000 had remained in hand. From, this £10,00(1 -had been, sent to England for the- New Zealand hospital. £ISOO had been forwarded to Egypt to buy-comforts for the New Zealanders there, . and '£soo had been used -to.-provide comforts, that r were needed at Trentham camp. - A balance of £23,000 had remained in hand. “This is not Government' money or publicnioKby,” said the Minister. “It is money raised for- a special purpose by His Excellency the Governor. .Parliament does not control the money directly. This clause is the only way in which-the case can be mot.” Later in the debate Dr Newman said the clause should , not be .allowed to pass. It had caused very considerable feeling already. People who had subscribed money for a specific purpose did not want anybody to have power to divert their contributions to another purpose...... The Finance Minister said he did not think subscribers would object to the Dr Newman said people did object very strongly. ■ The, Prime Minister, said the Government would pay the cost of refitting the hospital ships as required.' The clause was passed.